5 Trends Shaping Hi Fi Systems In 2017

Over the years, the trends in Hi Fi systems have been more consumer-led. This means that people are consuming Hi Fi products that they can relate to and are shunning new/experimental designs (see Top 10 Hi Fi Systems of 2017).

This has led manufacturers to stall their efforts of coming up with innovative products because of the fear of having slow-moving inventory.

A quick look at this year’s CES convention in Las Vegas pretty much showed a similar trend among manufacturers when designing products. Here are 5 trends that have shaped Hi FI systems in 2017.

1. Wireless Ear Bud

Apple ushered in the wireless ear buds trend after deciding to do away with their 3.5mm jack in the new iPhone 7. As a result, many people are becoming obsessed with wireless ear buds. Companies have also leveraged on this trend by following the design shorthand for creating them (introduced by Apple). As a result, 2017’s CES convention saw a number companies showcase their products in this category.

Wireless ear buds taps into the overall wireless Hi Fi products market. People are increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of having wireless speakers which you can carry around without having to worry about connecting cables.

2. Waterproof Rugged Speakers

In as much as wireless ear buds are increasingly becoming a trend, the same can’t be said about wireless speakers. This segment saw stagnation in terms of sales and total market share. However, companies have seen an emerging trend among users to buy waterproof rugged speakers. This may have something to do with the fact that they are basic, portable and can survive in any condition given their waterproof and rugged nature.

It will be interesting to see what kind of features companies will add to this product in the next few years to come.

“With Wi-Fi, you can be able to cast content to any speaker in any room within your home.”

3. Multi-Room Technology

Multi-room technology is quickly catching up with people. Many consumers are becoming interested in technologies that can be combined using intelligent connection systems. At the end of the day, everyone wants convenience combined with energy and cost savings. This is exactly what multi-room technology offers consumers.

With Wi-Fi, you can be able to cast content to any speaker in any room within your home and with the added convenience of using mobile apps. Consumers also get the added advantage of listening to different sources from different rooms. Again, it all comes down to convenience.

4. The Internet Of Things In The Hi Fi Industry

The introduction of Wi-Fi-enabled Hi Fi systems has led to over 30% growth in sales of wireless products. This can be attributed to the ability of systems to be integrated with sites like Amazon and Google. These integrations have been important in driving the trend throughout 2016 mainly because they enable users to be able to select anything via voice activation while in the comfort of their homes.

Furthermore, the internet of things allows users to be able to sync all their devices within the same network. This has the added advantage of having custom content delivered in all your devices, even if you just used one device to select it.

“Vinyl turntable sales were at an all-time high last year.”

5. Vinyl Turntables

You are probably wondering how vinyl turntables managed to get on this list.Vinyl turntable sales were at an all-time high last year. It was just a matter of time before they came back to the market. One of the main reasons as to why vinyl records has been trending is due to the high quality sound that they have. You can’t experience such quality on regular CDs and MP3s.

This trend has created a lot of ripples in the Hi Fi industry. While every company was trying to develop portable systems, and killing quality at the same time, it has become apparent that consumers are keen on retaining the original quality of music.

Conclusion

Trends are usually a fad, but at the same time they give pointers as to what consumers are more interested in.

If anything, people are more interested in convenience, durability and quality of music in their Hi Fi systems.